The plot is pretty vague: you wake up the start of the game to find yourself in a glass cubicle, and then you're greeted by a female robotic voice, who referred to you as a test subject, and then released you from the cubicle. A few steps out from the cubicle, you will come across the unique feature of this game, the portal (duh). A brief explanation on how the portal works: A pair of portals are needed for it to work. One functions as an entrance, the other being the exit. Together, the 2 portals act as a gateway, allowing the player to cross over, from the entrance to the exit. Portals are 2-way, meaning after crossing over, the entrance and exit roles are reversed.
Initially in the first few levels the portal sites are fixed -- player has no control over them, and the levels' pretty straight-forward. After a few "training" levels, you would be given partial access to the portal gun, allowing you to place a single portal as you desire. The other portal is still fixed, hence there's still a certain limitation to what you are allowed to do. The fun starts after you get full access to the portal gun, and that's where the creativity and challenge set in. Being able to place the 2 portals as one wishes allows many possibilities and varieties of methods of getting through a level; the "fling" method will turn out to be the most crucial one in the later levels.
How flinging works (Disclaimer: Not done by me)
There are a total of 19 levels in the "campaign" mode, with the last 2 being the more challenging ones. But still it won' take long before one figures how to maneuver through the obstacles; what is more challenging, is trying to minimize the amount of portals being used, and the time taken to complete the level, in which these challenges can be unlocked after completing the game. There are also a few advanced levels with certain objectives and goals, which I have yet to try out (yes yes, I went back to TF2 straightaway after I finished the "campaign" mode).
The game itself is fun, however, it would not have been as fun if not for the female robotic voice that accompanies you throughout the 19 levels. Rather than a guide to hint you if you are stuck in between the levels, the voice served more of a comic relief with its constant sarcastic and discouraging comments. The song after the final "boss" fight is especially hilarious, enough to justify saving a slot after the fight just so that one can go back and listen to it once in a while.
All in all, Portal is solid game in terms of gameplay, and though the game is painfully short, it does have a high replayability, as players can try out new methods and set personal challenges (time limits etc.) when playing through the levels again. The achievement feature is also a welcome, as players will have more reasons to go back to the game after completing it.
Score: 9.5/10
The good: One of the most innovative and original gameplay (and weapon, since the Gravity gun) in the recent gaming history. And a hilarious female robotic voice doesn't hurt too.
The bad: It's short. Really, that's all I can complain about this game. And hence the 0.5 deduction.
A never-ending fall
Wait a minute, is that me on the other side?!
The cake is a lie (you'll get the joke if you play the game)
No comments:
Post a Comment